第39章

The teachers presiding over this mixed multitude were three in number， all French—their names Mdlles.Zéphyrine， Pélagie， and Suzette； the two last were commonplace personages enough； their look was ordinary， their manner was ordinary， their temper was ordinary， their thoughts， feelings， and views were all ordinary — were I to write a chapter on the subject I could not elucidate it further.Zéphyrine was somewhat more distinguished in appearance and deportment than Pélagie and Suzette， but in character genuine Parisian coquette， perfidious， mercenary， and dry-hearted.A fourth ma？tresse I sometimes saw who seemed to come daily to teach needlework， or netting， or lace-mending， or some such flimsy art； but of her I never had more than a passing glimpse， as she sat in the carré， with her frames and some dozen of the elder pupils about her， consequently I had no opportunity of studying her character， or even of observing her person much； the latter， I remarked， had a very English air for a ma？tresse， otherwise it was not striking； of character I should think； she possessed but little， as her pupils seemed constantly “en révolte” against her authority.She did not reside in the house； her name， I think， was Mdlle Henri.

Amidst this assemblage of all that was insignificant and defective， much that was vicious and repulsive (by that last epithet many would have described the two or three stiff， silent， decently behaved， ill-dressed British girls)， the sensible， sagacious， affable directress shone like a steady star over a marsh full of Jack-o’- lanthorns； profoundly aware of her superiority， she derived an inward bliss from that consciousness which sustained her under all the care and responsibility inseparable from her position； it kept her temper calm， her brow smooth， her manner tranquil.Sheliked—as who would not？—on entering the school-room， to feel that her sole presence sufficed to diffuse that order and quiet which all the remonstrances， and even commands， of her underlings frequently failed to enforce； she liked to stand in comparison， or rather—contrast， with those who surrounded her， and to know that in personal as well as mental advantages， she bore away the undisputed palm of preference—(the three teachers were all plain.) Her pupils she managed with such indulgence and address， taking always on herself the office of recompenser and eulogist， and abandoning to her subalterns every invidious task of blame and punishment， that they all regarded her with deference， if not with affection； her teachers did not love her， but they submitted because they were her inferiors in everything； the various masters who attended her school were each and all in some way or other under her influence； over one she had acquired power by her skilful management of his bad temper； over another by little attentions to his petty caprices； a third she had subdued by flattery； a fourth—a timid man—she kept in awe by a sort of austere decision of mien； me， she still watched， still tried by the most ingenious tests—she roved round me， baffled， yet persevering； I believe she thought I was like a smooth and bare precipice， which offered neither jutting stone nor tree-root， nor tuft of grass to aid the climber.Now she flattered with exquisite tact， now she moralized， now she tried how far I was accessible to mercenary motives， then she disported on the brink of affection— knowing that some men are won by weakness—anon， she talked excellent sense， aware that others have the folly to admire judgment.I found it at once pleasant and easy to evade all these efforts； it was sweet， when she thought me nearly won， to turnround and to smile in her very eyes， half scornfully， and then to witness her scarcely veiled， though mute mortification.Still she persevered， and at last， I am bound to confess it， her finger， essaying， proving every atom of the casket， touched its secret spring， and for a moment the lid sprung open； she laid her hand on the jewel within； whether she stole and broke it， or whether the lid shut again with a snap on her fingers， read on， and you shall know.

It happened that I came one day to give a lesson when I was indisposed； I had a bad cold and a cough； two hours’ incessant talking left me very hoarse and tired； as I quitted the schoolroom， and was passing along the corridor， I met Mdlle Reuter； she remarked， with an anxious air， that I looked very pale and tired.“Yes，” I said， “I was fatigued；” and then， with increased interest， she rejoined， “You shall not go away till you have had some refreshment.” She persuaded me to step into the parlour， and was very kind and gentle while I stayed.The next day she was kinder still； she came herself into the class to see that the windows were closed， and that there was no draught； she exhorted me with friendly earnestness not to over-exert myself； when I went away， she gave me her hand unasked， and I could not but mark， by a respectful and gentle pressure， that I was sensible of the favour， and grateful for it.My modest demonstration kindled a little merry smile on her countenance； I thought her almost charming.During the remainder of the evening， my mind was full of impatience for the afternoon of the next day to arrive， that I might see her again.

I was not disappointed， for she sat in the class during the whole of my subsequent lesson， and often looked at me almost with affection.At four o’clock she accompanied me out of theschoolroom， asking with solicitude after my health， then scolding me sweetly because I spoke too loud and gave myself too much trouble； I stopped at the glass-door which led into the garden， to hear her lecture to the end； the door was open， it was a very fine day， and while I listened to the soothing reprimand， I looked at the sunshine and flowers， and felt very happy.The day-scholars began to pour from the schoolrooms into the passage.

“Will you go into the garden a minute or two，” asked she， “till they are gone？”